"Zhou is not a country that forbids its people from discussing politics. It is emphasized repeatedly in the new laws to promote open discourse... You know the law but break it; you enforce the law but act unfairly, indulge your subordinates... You forcibly detained civilians, leading to wrongful deaths in prison. Do you acknowledge your crimes?"
"I beg Your Majesty to discern clearly. At present, the coastal area is in a state of panic. I... I was just afraid that these people, after drinking too much wine, might speak recklessly and cause public panic or unrest. Therefore, I sent people to apprehend those who spoke nonsense! I originally intended just to detain them for one night, wait for them to sober up, and then admonish them a bit before releasing them. I didn't resort to corporal punishment! I really didn't expect it to cause a fatal incident!" The County Magistrate of Jinguan kept kowtowing, "I beg Your Majesty to discern clearly!"
